The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
A wide variety of portable canopies, sunshades, tents, awnings, and gazebos are available that offer shelter from the sun, wind, rain, snow, and insects. Such portable shelters are often used during camping, tailgating, or at other outdoor events and activities. Typical designs include a fabric canopy that is supported by a frame. The frame is designed to be assembled and disassembled easily and quickly. In some designs, the frame is constructed from a number of bars or tubes that can be connected and disconnected from one another without the use of any tools (i.e., that can be broken down by hand). In other designs, the frame is configured to fold-up into a more compact package for transportation and storage. The canopy is attached to the top of the frame to form a roof. Typically, the canopy is tied to the frame by rope or bungee cords. In most designs, the sides of the frame are left completely open; however, some designs include full-length side curtains that can be attached to the frame to provide a fully-enclosed shelter with zippered doors or flaps for ingress and egress.
Portable shelters are often used during activities where people light outdoor fires and/or cook food over an open flame. Traditional portable shelters cannot be placed over or in the vicinity of stationary fire pits, portable fire pits, fire rings, camp fires, fire tables, barbeques, grills, cooktops, or other fire sources because the canopy traps smoke and can be damaged by the heat and cinders generated by the fire source. As such, individuals are forced to choose between seeking shelter from the elements (i.e., the sun, wind, rain, and snow) or from insects and leaving the shelter to sit or stand around a fire source or cook over an open flame. Traditional portable shelters also have the drawback of being unheated. Accordingly, there remains a need for portable shelters that are suitable for placement over stationary fire pits, portable fire pits, fire rings, camp fires, fire tables, barbeques, grills, cooktops, or other fire sources without compromising portability or their ability to provide shelter.